Transportation-car of the drop-bottom-gondola type.



PATENTED OUT. 10, 1905.

R. B. KENDIG. TRANSPORTATION GAR OF THE DROP BOTTOM GONDO LA TYPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1905.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

No. 801,459. PATENTBD OCT. 10, 1905. R. B. KBNDIG. TRANSPORTATION OAR OFTHE DROP BOTTOM GONDOLA TYPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 801,459. PATENTED OOT.10,1905, R. B. KENDIG.

TRANSPORTATION OAR OF THE DROP BOTTOM GONDOLA TYPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYL1905 3SHEETSSHEET 3.

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ROSOOE B. KENDIG, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN A. HEGEMAN,JR.,- OF NORTH PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

TRANSPORTATION-CAR OF THE DROP-BOTTOlVl-GONDOLA TYPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed May 1,1905. Serial No. 258,204.

To all whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, Roscon B. KENDIG, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTransportation-Oars of the Drop-Bottom-Gondola Type, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in transportation-cars of thedrop-bottom-gondola type having downwardly-inclined floors leading togates which when opened permit the discharge or dumping of the load; andmy invention consists in the novel gate-operating mechanism hereinafterdescribed and claimed for such cars and analogous vehicles and also inthe novel structural features hereinafter described pertaining to theplate-girder sides of the car above the hopper-opening in the bottom ofthe car.

The object of my invention is to provide an efficient,easily-operated,and durable mechanism for closing and opening the dischargegates of thecars and forlocking said gates in their closed position; and a furtherobject of the invention is to secure the benefits of a transverse shaftfor simultaneously operating the gate-levers at opposite sides of thecar without the inconveniences arising from said shaft being extendedthrough the compartment of the car above the gates in the path of thedischarging load, which has heretofore been the usual position of saidshaft.

In the gate-operating mechanism of my invention a transverse shaft ismade use of; but it is located to one side of the gates and below oneinclined floor of the car,where it cannot, of course, interfere with thedischarge of the load and does enable the attainment of increasedadvantages in the operation of the gates.

A further object of the invention is to provide the plate-girder sidesof the car above the hopper-opening with efficient reinforcingplates andother features hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed descriptionhereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a gondolacar equipped with gates and gate-operating mechanism and other featuresembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of same on thedotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of same onthe dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the pawl andratchet shown in disengaged relation, and Fig. 5 is a like view showingthe position of the parts during the closing of the gates.

In the drawings, 10 designates the plategirder sides of thecar, 11 theinclined floorsections for enabling the discharge of the load, and 12the corresponding gates at the lower ends of said inclined sections 11,said gates being hinged at their outer edges at 1 1 and adapted to turndownwardly and outwardly from each other in a usual manner, said gatesin themselves being of well-known form and construction, with theexception that at their inner ends their hinge-straps have dependingends secured to commercial Z-bars connected to the gates, as shown inFig. 1.

At the sides of the car and above the center line between the doors 12are suitably mounted short transverse crank-shafts 1515, havingcrank-arms 16, to which are pivotally secured the upper ends of the rods17, whose lower ends are pivotally-connected with the doors 12. Thereare two rods-17 at each side of the car, and both these rods arepivotally secured to the crank 16, while the lower end of one of saidrods is connected with one door 12 and the lower end of the other rod 17is connected with the other door 12.

The crank-shafts 15 are mounted in the sides 10 of the car and thevertical sides of the housings 18, which inclose the cranks 16 and rods17, the said sides being apertured to receive the ends of saidcrank-shafts and being reinforced by plates 19 20, respectively, whichare also apertured and the former of which around its aperture isflanged into the aperture of the side 10, as shownin Fig.

2, to afford a better bearing for the outer end of the crank-shaft. Theedges of the aperture in the inner side of the housings 18 are alsoflanged inwardly to afford a more substantial bearing for the inner endof the crank-shaft. The housings 18 are of plate the hopper, and saidplates 19 along their upper portions each have a longitudinalembossment, as shownin'F-igs. 1 and 2.: Within the housings 18 thecrank-shafts 15'are pro housings 18, the latter being extended at oneedge to inclose said chains and keep the-same from contact with suchmaterial as may be carried by the car. The transverse shaft 2 1 is notwithin the carrying-compartment of the car, but is belowone-fioor-sectiOn-ll thereof, and one end of said shaft extends beyondthe side of the car and is formed with angular sides, so that awrenchmay be applied to said shaft for rotating the same and through thesprocket-wheels 23 21 and chains 22 imparting rotary movement to thecrank-shafts 15 for atthe proper time actuating the cranks 16*a'nd rods17'to close the doors 12. I preferably make the: sprocket-wheels 23one-halt the size of the sprocket-wheels 21, so as to facilitate theclosing of the doors 12 and enable the gate mechanism to be operated byone man standing at one side ofthe-car.

assures simultaneous movementin the gates 12 and their operating-rods 17during both the opening and closing of said gates, and

this is of considerable importance inviewof the weight of the gates'andtheconditions to be met in the use of the gondola cars.

The rods 17, as indicated in Fig. 1, extend laterally at their middleportions, so that whenthe gates 12 are in I their closed position thesaid rods may, in effect, extend around one side of the crank-shafts 15and have their upper pivoted ends slightly beyond the verticalcenter'line of said shafts, this arrangement of said rods affordingalock" for holding the gates 12 in their closed position. It'isnecessary, however, that the gates 12 be very securely locked, so thattheymay not jar open" during the loading or travel of the cars, andhence upon the outer end of one of the crankshafts 15 l providea specialtoothed lockingwheel25, this wheelbeingsecured to thecrank-shaft bymeans of a polygonal stem thereon, which enters a socket in said shaft,as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and is secured therein by apin 26. Thewheel 25 is formed with a series of teeth 27and has at theend of the series a deep-notch 28 to receive when the gates 12 are intheir closed position the point of the pawl 29, which is pivoted ina'bracket 30 and with the wheel 25 serves to eflectually lock, throughthe'crankshafts 15 and intermediate and cooperating mechanism, the gates12 in-their closed posi- The shaft 24 by extending entirely across thecar tion. The wheel 25 is also formed with two projecting lugs 31 32 tobe used as bearingpoints for a crowbar or like device to be inserted.between them and utilized for giving the wheel a very slight rotarymovement toward the right, so that the pawl 29 may be released from saidwheel, and then for giving said wheel aslight rotary movement toward theleft looking at Fig. 1 suflicient to carry the upper ends of the rods 17to the left of the vertical center line of the crank-shafts 15, when,the gates being then unlocked, the weight upon the gates 12 will compelthem to open.

The pawl 29 is employed in connection with a pivoted weight or dog 33,which when in the position shown in Fig. 1 rests upon the pawl 29 andlocks thelatter in its engaging position, whereby the wheel 25 isassuredly prevented .under all conditions from rotating and the gates 12from opening.- When it is desired to-free the pawl 29, so that the wheel25 may rotate-toward the left looking at Fig.1 and the gates 12 open,the dog 32 is turned upjwardly and toward the left and the pawl 29 'is'turned upwardly and toward the left from the wheel 25, so as to clearthe latter, and then the dog 32 by-being turned completely over towardthe left may be dropped against the angular'arm 34. (then abouthorizontal) of said pawl (the'handle end of the dog at such timeengaging said arm) and operate to retain the'pawl 29 in itsupwardly-turned position clear of the wheel 25. After the pawl 29 anddog 33have thus been disposed of the wheel 25 isleft free to be turned,and then the attendant will bymeans of a crowbar or otherwise-give thesaid wheel its slight movementtoward the left, as above explained, forcarrying the upper ends of the rods 17 to the left of the verticalcenter line of the shaft 15 and allowing the gates 12 to open. The dog33 is thus utilized at one time for locking the pawl 29 in its operativeengaging position and at another time for holding said pawl in itsupturned or inoperative position, so that it may not interfere with themovement toward the left of the toothed wheel 25.

The normal condition of the operating parts of the gate mechanism isthat shown in Fig. 1, with the gates 12 locked intheir closed po sition.When it is desired to discharge the contents of the car, the pawl 29will be turned upwardly and held in such position by means ofthe-dog 33,as above explained, and thereupon theattendant will turn the wheel 25toward the left, so as to permit the weight on the gates 12 to drivethem to their open position. After the load has been discharged thegates 12 should again be closed and locked, and this is accomplished bymeans of a wrench or other suitable tool applied to the polygonal end ofthe transverse shaft 24:, the rotation of the shaft resulting in thecrank-shafts being rotated through the medium of the chains andsprocket-wheels and turning the cranks 16;

upwardly and through the rods 17 drawing the gates 12 to their formerclosed position, whereupon the pawl 29 will be restored to its initiallocking position for effectually retaining the gates in their closedposition.

Ordinarily the gates and their connections are of considerable weight,and in the absence of special conditions a great deal of strength isrequired'in closing them. l/Vith my invention, however, the gates may bereadily closed by one man, since the transverse shaft 24 is connected atits ends with the crank-shafts 15 and may simultaneously operate bothsaid crank-shafts and the parts connected with them. The sprocket-wheels23 on the crankshaft 24 are, moreover, one-half the size of thesprocket-wheels 21, and thus the force employed to rotate the shaft 24is used with maximum efficiency on the crank-shaft 15. I provide thecontinuous series of teeth 27 on the wheel 25, so that the man at thetransverse shaft 24 may not be compelled at one continuous stretch tomove the gates 12 from their open to their fully-closed position, thepawl 29 being adapted to engage any one of the teeth 27 during theclosing movement of the gates 12. I have hereinbefore described the useof the dog 33 for locking the pawl 29 in its initial engaging position(shown in Fig. 1)

and for retaining said pawl in its upturned inoperative position. Whenthe gates 12 are to be closed, I first free the dog 33 from the pawl 29and allow the engaging end of said pawl to-rest upon the teeth 27 andthen in order to dispose of the dog 33 allow the handle end of thelatter to rest against the outer lefthand end of the arm 34, connectedwith said pawl, said dog when in this position allowing the pawl tooscillate upon its pivot as the teeth 27 ride under its operating endand permitting said end to closely follow said teeth, so that at anystage of the rotation of the wheel 25 the operator may cease therotation of the shaft 24, and the pawl 29 will lock the gateoperatingparts, thus affording an opportunity for the man at the shaft 24 torest, if he should so desire.

It is evident that power may be applied directly'to the wheel 25 insteadof to the transverse shaft 24 for closing the gates 12 and that undersuch arrangement the rods 17 at both sides of the car would havesimultaneous movement, the motion of one crank-shaft 15 being impartedthrough the sprocket-wheels, chains, and shaft 24 to the othercrank-shaft; but I deem it better to apply the power for closing thegates directly to the shaft 24, which is to one side of the gates and atwhich a man may stand with perfect safety. In any event the shaft 24will be provided below one of the inclined floor-sections 11, where itwill not interfere with the discharge of the load when the gates 12 areopened. It is evident also that a ratchet-wheel and locking-pawl, aswheel 25 and pawl 29, may be applied at the end of the shaft 24; but Ideem it better when practicable to locate said wheel and dog at the endof one of the crank-shafts 15 in the manner shown.

I do not limit my invention in every instance to the employment of thetwo sets of crank-shafts, cranks, and pivoted rods located one at eachside of the car, because I am aware that in some instances it may bedesirable to locate the cranks and rods for operating thedischarge-gates at the center of the car and between the draft-sillsthereof, in which event but one crank-shaft would be made use of, thesaid crank-shaft carrying a crank connected by a rod or rods with thegate or gates. In cars employing such centrally-disposed gateoperatingmechanism the crank -shaft will possess the sprocket-wheel 21 and beconnected by a sprocket-chain 22 with a sprocketwheel 23 upon thetransverse shaft 24, extending transversely below the inclinedfloor-section of the car and operated from the outer side of the car, ashereinbefore explained. My invention is therefore applicable to cars inwhich it is desirable to have the two sets of gate-operating mechanismone located at each side of the car as well as to cars requiring asingle gate-operating mechanism located at the center of the car andbetween the draft-sills thereof.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. In a car or the like having an inclined floor-section and a hingeddischarge-gate at the lower end thereof, the gate-operating mechanismcomprising the short crank-shafts carrying cranks, the rods pivoted tosaid cranks and said gate, the sprocket-Wheels on said shafts, thetransverse shaft extending across the car below said inclinedfloor-section and having sprocket-wheels, chains connecting thesprocket-.wheels on said transverse shaft with the sprocket-wheels onsaid crank-shafts, and means for locking said gate in its closedposition; substantially as set forth.

2. In a car or the like having an inclined floor-section and a hingeddischargegate at the lower end thereof, the gate-operating mechanismcomprising the short crank-shafts carrying cranks, the rods pivoted tosaid cranks and said gate, the sprocket-wheels on said shafts, thetransverse shaft extending across the car below said inclinedfloor-section and having sprocket-wheels, chains connecting thesprocket-wheels on said transverse shaft with the sprocket-wheels onsaid crank-shafts, and pawl-and-ratchet mechanism for locking the gateclosed, said rods being offset to pass around the side of saidcrank-shafts so that their upper ends may lie beyond the vertical centerline of said shafts; substantially as set forth.

3. In a caror the like having downwardlyinclined convergingfloor-sections and hinged discharge-gates at the lower ends thereof, thepawl and locking-dog for cooperation theregate-operating mechanismcomprising the short crank-shafts carrying cranks, the pairs of rodspivotall y connected at their upper ends with said cranks and at theirlower ends to said gates respectively, the sprocket-wheels on saidshafts, the transverse shaft extending across the car below one of saidinclined floorsections and having sprocket-wheels at its ends, chainsconnecting the sprocket-wheels on said transverse shaft with thesprocketwheels on said crank-shafts, and means for locking said gates intheir closed position; substantially as set forth.

4. In a car or the like havingdownwardlyinclined convergingfloor-sections and hinged discharge-gates at the lower ends thereof, thegate operating mechanism comprising the short crank-shafts carryingcranks, the pairs of rods pivotally connected at their upper ends withsaid cranks and at their lower ends to said gates respectively, thesprocket-wheels on said shafts, the transverse shaft extending acrossthe car below one of said inclined floorsections and havingsprocket-wheels at its ends, chains connecting the sprocket-wheels onsaid transverse shaft with the sprocketwheels on said crank-shafts. andpawl-andratchet mechanism for locking said gates in their closedposition, said pairs of rods being offset to pass around the side ofsaid crankshafts so that their upper ends may lie beyond the verticalcenter line of said shafts; substantially as set forth.

5. In a car or the like having downwardlyinclined convergingfloor-sections and hinged discharge-gates at the lower ends thereof, thegate-operating mechanism comprising the short crank-shafts carryingcranks, the pairs of rods pivotally connected at their upper ends withsaid cranks and at their lower ends to said gates respectively, thesprocket-wheels on said shafts, the transverse shaft extending acrossthe car below one of said inclined floorsections and havingsprocket-wheels at its ends, chains connecting the sprocket-wheels onsaid transverse shaft with the sprocketwheels on said crank-shafts, andpawl-andratchet mechanism for locking said gates in their closedposition; substantially as set forth.

6. In a car or the like having downwardlyinclined convergingfloor-sections and hinged discharge-gates at the lower ends thereof, thegate operating mechanism comprising the short crank-shafts carryingcranks, the pairs of rods pivotally connected at their upper ends withsaid cranks and at their lower ends to said gates respectively, thesprocket-wheels on said shafts, the-transverse shaft extending acrossthe car below one of said inclined floorsections and havingsprocket-wheels at its ends, chains connecting the sprocket-wheels with,one end of said transverse shaft being exposed to receive means forrotating the shaft to effect the closing of the gates; substantially asset forth.

7. In a car or the like having downwardlyinclined convergingfloor-sections and hinged discharge-gates at the lower ends thereof, thegate-operating mechanism comprising the short crank-shafts carryingcranks, the pairs of rods pivotally connected at their upper ends withsaid cranks and at their lower ends to said gates respectively, thesprocket-wheels on said shafts, the transverse shaft extending acrossthe car below one of said inclined floorsections and havingsprocket-wheels at its ends, chains connecting the sprocket-wheels onsaid transverse shaft with the sprocketwheels on said crank-shafts, theratchet-wheel on one of said crank-shafts, and the pivoted pawl andlocking-dog for cooperation therewith, one end of said transverse shaftbeing exposed to receive means for rotating the shaft to efiect theclosing of the gates, and said rods being offset to pass around the sideof said crank-shafts so that their upper ends may lie beyond thevertical center line of said shafts; substantially as set forth.

8. In a car or the like having downwardlyinclined convergingfloor-sections and hinged discharge-gates at the lower ends thereof, thegate-operating mechanism comprising the short shafts rotatively mountedat opposite sides of the car above said gates, means connecting saidshafts and gates for closing the latter on the rotation of said shafts,sprocketwheels rigid on said shafts, the transverse shaft extendingacross the car below one of said inclined floor sections and havingsprocket-wheels at its ends, chains connecting the sprocket-wheels onsaid transverse shaft with the sprocketwheels on said short shafts, andmeans for locking said gates in their closed position; substantially asset forth.

9. In a car or the like having a downwardlyinclined floor-section and ahinged dischargegate at the lower end thereof, the gate-operatingmechanism comprising the short shafts rotatively mounted at oppositesides of the car and carrying cranks, rods pivoted to said cranks andgate, the sprocket-wheels on said shafts, the transverse shaft extendingbelow the car-floor and having sprocket-wheels, chains connecting thesprocket-wheels on said transverse shaft with the sprocket-wheels onsaid crank-shafts, and means for locking the gate in its closedposition; substantially as set forth.

10. In a car having a downwardly-inclined floor-section and a hingeddischarge-gate at the lower end thereof, the gateoperating mechanismcomprising the short transverse crank-shaft having a rigid crank-arm 16normally extending upwardly, a rod 17 pivoted to the upper end of saidcrank-arm and to the ITO gate, the sprocket-wheel on said crank-shaft,the operating-shaft extending transversely of the car and below the carfioor and having a sprocket wheel, a chain connecting saidsprocket-wheels, and means comprising a dogand-ratchet plate exterior tothe side of the car for locking the gate in closed position and saidoperating-shaft stationary, the end of said operating-shaft beingmounted in the side of the car and having its end exposed and formed toreceive the means for rotating the shaft; substantially as set forth.

11. In a car having a downwardly-inclined floor-section and a hingeddischarge-gate at the lower end thereof, the gate operating mechanismcomprising the short transverse crank-shaft having a rigid crank-arm 16normally extending upwardly, a rod 17 pivoted to the upper end of saidcrank-arm and to the gate, the sprocket-wheel on said crank-shaft, theoperating-shaft extending transversely of the car and below thecar-floor and having a sprocket wheel, a chain connecting saidsprocket-wheels, and means comprisinga dogand-ratchet plate exterior tothe side of the car for locking the gate in closed position and saidoperating-shaft stationary, the end of said operating-shaft beingmounted in the side of the car and having its end exposed and formed toreceive the means for rotating the shaft, and said rod, crank-arm andcrank-shaft being arranged to permit the pivot-point of said crank-armand rod to pass beyond the center line of said crank-shaft and the lowerpivotpoint of said rod, for locking the gate in closed position;substantially as set forth.

12. In a car having downwardly-inclined floor-sections and a pair ofhinged gates at the lower end thereof, the gate-operating mechanismcomprising the short transverse crankshaft having a rigid crank-arm 16normally extending upwardly, a pair of rods 17 pivoted at their upperends to said crank-arm and at their lower ends to the said gatesrespectively, the sprocket-wheel on said crank-shaft, theoperating-shaft extending transversely of the car and below the carfloor and having a sprocket wheel, a chain connecting saidsprocket-wheels, and means comprising a dogand-ratchet plate exterior tothe side of the car for locking the gate in closed position and saidoperating-shaft stationary, the end of said operating-shaft beingmounted in the side of the car and having its end exposed and formed toreceive the means for rotating the shaft; substantially as set forth.

13. In a metallic car, the combination with plate-girder sides and abottom having a hopper-opening, of a reinforcing-plate above thehopper-opening and extending across the hopper, and a door-operatingshaft extending through the plate-girder side and the plate,substantially as described.

14. In a metallic car, the combination with plate-girder sides and abottom having a hopper-opening. of a reinforcing-plate secured to eachplate-girder side and of greater length than the width of the hopper, aplate on the inner face of one of the plate-girder sides and having aperipheral flange secured to the plate girder side, and a shaftextending through both plates, said shaft being the operating-shaft forthe door mechanism, substantially as described.

15. In a metallic car, the combination with plate-girder sides and abottom having a hopper-opening, of a plate secured to the inner face ofone of the plate-girder sides and comprising a housing, a shaftprojecting through said plate and plate-girder sides, and adooroperating mechanism connected to the shaft and protected by saidhousing, substantially as described.

16. In a metallic car, the combination with plate-girder sides and abottom havinga hopper-opening, reinforcing-plates on the outer faces ofsaid plate-girder sides, and a rein-- forcing-plate on the inner face ofone of the plate-girder sides and cooperating with the plate on theoutside of the plate-girder side, substantially as described.

17. In a metallic car, the combination with plate-girder sides and abottom having ahopper-opening, of doors connected to the bottom of thecar and having hinge-straps with depending ends, commercial shapesconnected to the doors and to the hinge -straps, and means for operatingsaid doors, substantially as described.

18. In a-metallic car, the combination with plate-girder sides and abottom having a hopper-opening, a shaft projecting through the sides andhaving a ratchet thereon, a reinforcing-plate connected to one of thesides and above the hopper-opening, and a pawl carried by said plate forengagement with the ratchet on the shaft, substantially as described.

Signed at New Yorkcity, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 25th day of April, A. D. 1905.

ROSOOE B. KENDIG.

Witnesses:

GHAs. C. GILL, ARTHUR MARION.

